Dazzle the Doe
by jembem
Summary: After years of rejection and failure, James finally gets Lily to fall for him. Story of Lily and James from Hogwarts on.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

James POV

"Gryffindor!" the sorting hat shouted as soon as it touched my messy black hair. I jumped off the stool and did a little fist pump I was so excited to be in the same house as my dad. The older students laughed, and I quickly got off the stage, embarrassed.

As I went to sit down at the table of cheering Gryffindors, I looked over the other first years. Sirius Black, the ironically black haired boy I met on the Hogwarts Express, was standing on his seat doing a ridiculous dance while loudly announcing how we would be best friends to anyone who would listen. I was okay with that!

Next to him, looking quite displeased was the red headed girl from the train. I think her name was some sort of flower. Who really cares?

A scrawny boy with sandy hair sat on Sirius' other side. He looked very uncomfortable and kept looking nervously up at the starry ceiling. I could tell he needed a good meal and a good night's sleep.

On flower girl's right was a short and chubby boy who looked mysteriously like a rat. He was nervously chewing his nails while his eyes darted around, perhaps looking for escape routes.

I headed toward Sirius who had shoved the scrawny boy over to make room for me. While I was trying to catch the boy's eye to apologize for Sirius, I saw a green glimmer in my peripheral vision. I turned and saw the most brilliant emerald eyes watching my every step in a calculating manner. It was flower girl. I must have been too distracted by Snivellus to pay her much attention, but now I realized how breathtakingly beautiful she was.

Pushing Sirius to be by the scrawny boy, I sat down next to him, ignoring his congratulations and turning instead to the flower girl. Holding out my hand, I flashed my most winning smile. "Hi, I'm James Potter."

Eyeing me cautiously, she shook my hand surprisingly firmly before turning away to talk to some other girl.

Not wanting to be brushed off so easily, I tapped her shoulder gently. She turned to me with irritation written all over her face. Smiling apologetically this time, I said smoothly, "I didn't catch your name."

"Lily Evans," she said curtly before turning and whipping me with her long red hair.

I held my throbbing cheek and stared at her back with wide eyes and a dropped jaw. That was not a name I'd be forgetting any time soon.

It was our first Hogsmeade trip ever, and I could not wait. Of course, the Marauders were no strangers in Hogsmeade; we had quite a reputation there just as we did everywhere else. This trip was different, though. This time, all the other third years could go. That included Lily Evans. If everything went as planned, by the end of the day, I would finally have the one girl I wanted.

"Mate, let's think about this," Sirius begged. His prediction had come true more than we could ever have hoped for. By now, we were more like brothers than best friends. "She hates you. Probably has since our first train ride here! What makes you think she'd want to go to Hogsmeade with you?"

"Because I clean up nice, and I got her some flowers that correspond with her name," I said confidently as I was shaking with nerves inside.

"I think Sirius is right, James," Remus Lupin commented as he strode along beside us. "Unlike the rest of you, I get along with Lily, and I'm sorry to report that I have never heard her say a complimentary thing about you." The scrawny boy who Sirius shoved around on the first day turned out to be extremely intelligent and one of the Marauders. I guess people were right when they said, "Don't judge a potion by its bottle."

Then again, there's always an exception. That was Peter Pettigrew. Just as nervous and slippery as I thought him to be at first sight, he always finagled his way out of taking responsibility for things. Gasping for breath with his cheeks bouncing awkwardly as he tried to catch up to us, Pete didn't look like a cool kid. Hell, he never did! I guess you could say we took him under our wing. "I… think if… Sirius and… Remus are… agreeing," he wheezed when he finally caught up, "that you should… listen."

That was true. Those two agreeing is about as likely as the Crumple Horned Snorkack being real. I was close to backing down when a little voice in my head said, "Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart." What kind of Gryffindor would I be if I didn't do this? Not a worthy one. Not one to make my dad proud. Hiding my fears in the back of my mind, I squared my shoulders and said, "I'm doing this, and you guys can't stop me."

"But…" Sirius began.

Remus put a hand on his arm, silencing him. The three of them stopped as I strode toward the Entrance Hall where I knew Lily would be waiting.

Holding the lilies firmly behind my back, I walked slowly towards her. She was standing at the opposite side of the hall, chattering with her best friends Marlene McKinnon and Alice Fortesque.

"Hey, Lils," Marlene said with a devilish grin. "I heard Potter was going to ask you to Hogsmeade."

How fast does news travel around here? It's ridiculous! Although I was irritated my plan to sweep her off her feet wouldn't be as surprising as I hoped, I listened closely to hear what Lily would say.

She rolled her eyes and Alice laughed lightly.

"Well?" Marlene prompted. "If he did, what would you say?" she asked eagerly. Alice was leaning forward in anticipation.

By now, I was hiding behind a suit of armor. At least if I was rejected this way, my reputation wouldn't be ruined with my self esteem. I would have put my invisibility cloak on and snuck closer, but by now there were too many students milling around. I would surely run into someone and that always led to awkward questions.

Lily blushed furiously (which looked gorgeous) and glared at Marlene with so much hate that her usually sparkling green eyes were flat and angry. "I've told you, McKinnon," Lily growled. "I will never ever let that… that toerag so much as walk next to me!" She began to storm towards my hiding sport, but I was frozen. I never thought words could hurt so much.

"Toerag?" Marlene giggled as she and Alice raced after Lily. "You just made that up, didn't you?"

"So what if I did?" Lily asked, cracking a smile. "It describes him perfectly!"

By now she was mere feet away. Shaking myself out of this stupor, I flung the lilies down and threw my invisibility cloak on. It was only thanks to my Quidditch reflexes that I managed to make it out without running into anyone. Still running at full tilt, I sprinted to the common room and up to our dormitory. Not even Zonko's could cheer me up today.

Without taking off my cloak, I sat heavily on my four poster bed. Rejection sucked. I was busy wallowing when the doorknob turned.

Sirius opened the door a crack, peering in. "Jamie?" he whispered, using my mom's nick name for me "What happened, mate?"

Not wanting to talk to anyone, I didn't answer, but Sirius, using some sixth sense, knew I was in there. Shutting the door softly behind him, he sat down on his own bed. "When you're ready to talk, I'm here."

Despite his bad boy reputation, Sirius had quite the sensitive side. Most people just didn't get to know him well enough to see it.

"Where're Pete and Remus?" I asked.

He turned to face my bed. "I told them to go on. I figured you'd be more comfortable if it was just me." He knew me so well.

"She hates me, Siri," I sighed, throwing off the cloak and looking at my best friend's concerned face. "She even made up a name for me to express how awful I am!"

"What was it?" he asked curiously.

"I dunno… Toerag or something," I mumbled.

Sirius snorted before clapping a hand over his mouth to keep himself from cracking up.

I chucked a pillow at his head, which he easily dodged, as he let his laughter loose. "I should have talked to Remus. You can only be serious for so long," I grumbled.

"I'm actually always Sirius!" he said in a matter of fact way as he held up one finger.

I rolled my eyes, but cracked a smile at my goofy friend and his overused pun.

"C'mon, James," Sirius said as he hopped out of bed. "Let's go snatch some food from the kitchens."

I stood up and followed him. Throwing an arm over my shoulder, he led me down the stairs. "Between you and me, Jamie," Sirius whispered confidentially, "I know you'll get her one day."

"Oy, Evans!" I called as I raced after her in the courtyard. She slowed, and I gratefully caught up to her. I figured now was my chance to make a move. Snape, my only competition, had just called her a… you know. I can't even think it it's so awful! She did yell at me by the lake, but I figured she was just venting some of her anger at Snivellus towards me, just like I vented my disappointment at her calling me a toerag towards Snivellus! This would be my last chance before summer holiday begins, and I don't want to mess it up.

"What do you want, Potter?" she asked in exasperation.

I took a deep breath before calmly asking, "Will you go out with me?"

Lily stopped walking and turned to look at me with her eyebrows raised. "Haven't you gotten the memo? I don't like you. Not even on a friendship level. Why would I go out with you?"

I blushed and ruffled my already messy hair nervously. "I just thought… Snape…"

"Don't," she snapped with her eyes blazing. "Don't you dare talk to me about him. I don't want to hear it." Turning sharply on her heel, she stormed off.

"He's evil, Evans!" I called after her retreating form. "Stop wasting your time on scum like him. You're better than that!"

Quicker than I knew she could move, Lily was back in my face. "Severus is ten times the man you'll ever be, Potter, and if you think he's scum, I'd suggest looking in the mirror. If you can manage to look past your big head, you might be surprised by what you see."

This time when she strode off, I let her. Maybe she was right, I thought as I walked dejectedly back to the school. I had all summer to find out.

I stood on Platform 9 ¾, my Head Boy badge gleaming unnaturally on my chest. This was my last year, my last chance to make an impression. I couldn't decide which one, though.

I know my mum wants me to be a good and respectable Head Boy, but that sounds awfully boring and not like me.

My father would have wanted me at to my best at pranking anything that moves. I had quite a stash of supplies left over from last year that would help me a lot. Sirius would love this path, and I wasn't opposed to it. I knew someone who was, though.

Lily Evans. What I want more than anything is to win her heart. In order to do that, pranking would definitely be out of the picture. Maybe Head Boy duties, too.

Shaking my head to clear it of these thoughts, I boarded the bright red Hogwarts Express. There would be plenty of time to make up my mind. First, I had to get through this train ride in the Heads compartment. As I went to open the door, I prayed that the Head Girl was not a Slytherin.

Cautiously, ready to bolt, I opened the door. A flash of red and green caught my eyes. The door slammed shut behind me. I stood, staring in shock, at the woman before me.

"Evans?" I gasped. Option number three is officially my priority. I just hope I can pull it off.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Lily POV

Train whistles sounded as various people shoved past our small group. We were very early, but I was anxious to board the Hogwarts Express in an attempt to get some last minute solitude. I would have more this year since the Head Boy and I would have our own dorm and train compartment. Being brilliant had its bonuses!

"Oh, Lily," Mum cried, throwing her skinny arms around me. "Be safe, sweetheart. I'll miss you so much." I had reluctantly informed my parents of the wizarding war against Voldemort. Dumbledore had advised all muggle borns to do so at the end of last year, and who was I to disagree with the greatest wizard to walk the earth? My family, unfortunately, did not take it too well. Mum was worried sick about me, Dad about Mum, and Petunia about… well… Petunia.

"Stay strong, baby girl," Daddy said once Mum let me go. "Don't ever stop fighting. We're all so proud of you."

I heard Petunia snort, and I glared at her over Dad's shoulder as he hugged me. "Is there something you'd like to say, Tuney?" I questioned sweetly.

"Well I'm not proud of you, that's for sure. How dare you infect our family with your freakish fantasy world? Now we're all in danger and it's entirely your fault," she spat. "Stay away from me, you lunatic." With that, she turned her back to me and crossed her bony arms across her chest.

"Tuney," I whimpered, reaching out to touch her shoulder. Daddy intercepted me and shook his head.

"Petunia, give your sister a hug. You won't be seeing her for a while; is this really how you want her to remember you?" Daddy cajoled.

Petunia gave me a fleeting hug in which she dug her nails into my back. "Goodbye," she said curtly.

Realizing that was all I would get, I gave Mum and Dad one more hug before running through the barrier to get to Platform 9 ¾.

I had hoped Petunia would be different this year, but her words hit home more than ever. I was endangering my family, but I was too selfish to quit seeing them cold turkey. I knew I had to eventually, but I wanted to be able to enjoy this last year of childhood first.

With tears in my eyes that I angrily swiped away, I took a seat in the thankfully empty Heads' compartment. I needed some time to collect myself before the Head Boy arrived. The last think I needed was for him to think I'm weak or mentally unstable.

Enjoying the alone time, I sat in peaceful silence while the noise outside my compartment mounted as more and more students arrived and began boarding the train.

Suddenly, the compartment door creaked open, and I looked towards it in excitement, ready to see what intelligent mind I would get to spend the rest of my year with. What I was not expecting to see was a tousled mop of black hair and sparkling hazel eyes behind a pair of neatly polished glasses.

No. Oh no.

"Evans?" he gasped as a massive grin overtook his face.

There had to be some mistake. There was no way that James Potter, one of the most troublemaking students to ever roam the halls of Hogwarts, could possibly be Head Boy. There were so many worthier candidates, like Remus Lupin! Besides, Potter was never even a prefect. This was all wrong!

"Potter, this is the Heads' compartment," I growled through gritted teeth. "What. Are. You. Doing. Here?"

"Unbelievable as it is, Evans, I was made Head Boy," he said, flashing me his badge before lounging on the seat across from me. "I guess my prayers were answered, huh? Not only are you not in Slytherin, but you are the most beautiful girl to walk the earth! I'm a lucky man."

I was frustrated to feel my cheeks getting hot from his compliment. Trying to draw attention away from my red face, I said, "Flattery will not make me hate you any less than I do now, Toerag."

For an instant, I saw actual pain flash behind his eyes, and I felt sorry for making him hurt. I knew how much pain words caused, but I'd never seen someone suffering from what I said. Before I really even registered what I saw, his poker face was back. "Would you rather I insult you?" he asked politely. "It would be difficult, considering you are perfection in my eyes, but then you might have a legitimate reason to hate me."

"I already do," I answered automatically.

"Oh, yeah?" Well, please enlighten me, Miss Evans, so I can try to make it up to you so we won't spend this entire year arguing." I could tell his composure was slipping. Behind his tough act, I could see how much pain I was causing him, but I couldn't seem to stop.

"Well… It's… I mean…" I spluttered, trying to put my finger on why he bothered me so much. "All of you! It's everything about you!" I finally cried in frustration, throwing my arms up in the air.

His eyes were cold as he looked at me. "You seemed to think it was despicable when I said the same thing about Snape. When you come up with an actual reason, then we'll talk." Standing stiffly, he strode toward the door with his hands balled in fists at his sides.

"Where are you going?" I asked. I was surprised at how small and childish I sounded.

For a moment, our eyes met. His held… pity? James Potter was feeling bad for upsetting me? What kind of twisted alternate universe did I end up in when I came on the Platform?

"I'm going to find my real friends," he sighed, turning away from me. "When you're ready to talk, come find me."

The door slammed shut behind him as he walked off with his head held high. Way to start of the year, Lily, I chided myself. You better come up with a good apology, quick!

James Potter or not, he was still Head Boy, and we need to at least be civil. It was going to be a long year.

James POV

Throwing open the compartment door, I flung myself onto an open seat. Laughter roared around me as someone (I'm assuming Sirius) pounded me on the back.

"That bad, huh?" he chuckled. "So, who's the bitch that got you to flee so soon?"

I glared at him. "Evans, you prat."

He paled under my gaze. "Oh… sorry, mate. Shouldn't you be happy though? I mean, you'll have a dorm all alone with the girl of your dreams!" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, and I punched him. Soon we were rolling around the compartment play fighting. Peter was cheering us on, and Remus had his knees curled to his chest so he could continue reading in peace.

"Some of us want a relationship, Black, not just to do the nasty!" I said as I pinned him to the ground.

His grey puppy dog eyes looked up at me. "Who says I don't want a relationship?"

Everyone gasped. Remus even put down his book. I rolled off Sirius and helped him up. Dusting myself off, I asked, "You do realize that having a girlfriend means no friends with benefits, right?"

He rolled his eyes. "No duh, Prongs!"

"This won't last long," Moony mumbled with a smirk.

"Oh, yeah?" Sirius shouted, getting right in Remus' face. "Bet on it! I bet by the end of the year, I will have a steady girlfriend with no extra lady friends."

Remus looked at him, calculating his chances. "Deal." They shook hands, both attempting to make the other wince. Neither succeeded. "So what's punishment for the loser or what does the winner get?"

Stroking his clean shaven chin thoughtfully, Sirius snapped his fingers when an idea came to him. "Winner picks punishment for loser. Anything, and I mean anything, goes!"

"Excellent," Remus said with a devilish grin. "Enjoy your hair while it lasts, Black."

"You wouldn't dare!" Sirius gasped, clutching his precious locks.

Remus grinned in an even more sinister fashion, and before anyone could continue their banter, I jumped in. "Guys, I really need help with Lily," I whined.

"Of course you do, Sirius said, rolling his eyes. "What happened now?" So I told them about our horrific argument and how mean she was to me.

"Not to sound uncaring or anything, but didn't we already establish that she hates you?" Sirius asked as he twirled his wand lazily between his fingers.

"I know that," I groaned. "What I want to know is how to make her love me! I mean, how could she not? I've got it all, right Wormtail?"

He nodded mechanically. "You're the total package! Brains, brawn, and… uh…"

"I think the word you're looking for is 'boobs.' Jamie here is looking for his balls," Sirius chuckled.

"Say that again…" I growled threateningly.

Holding his hands up in surrender, he elaborated. "All I'm sayin is you need to stop storming away from her like some drama queen! Grow a pair and stand up for yourself, mate!"

Slumping in my chair, I put my head in my hands. "But how do I do that without making her hate me more? If I describe who I actually am… She'll never talk to me again."

"Well, I think you need to reevaluate your opinion of yourself," Remus said suddenly. "If you don't think you're a good enough guy, look past this cocky bastard shell you're sporting to see the James we know."

My jaw dropped. "You think… me!... cocky!" I gasped. I looked to Sirius, hoping he'd defend me. Brothers stood up for each other.

Without meeting my eyes, he mumbled, "Probably a good place to start."

"You all think I'm like that? Why haven't you said something before?" I was hurt. Marauders were supposed to tell each other everything.

"Look, mate, we see the real you, but when Evans turns you down, you tend to go to other girls to make her jealous, which is not working. So let's tone down your inner Play Boy and focus on the one girl, eh?" Sirius offered.

"I was thinking something else," Remus interjected. "Don't argue with her. Go apologize for storming away and promise it won't happen again. Then focus solely on Head Boy duties. When she realizes how good you actually are, there's no way she'll be able to resist you. Of course, combining mine and Sirius' advice would probably get you the best results, if you can manage that."

Looking to Sirius for confirmation, he nodded. "Hop to it. You should really fix this before we arrive."

"And what if it doesn't work?" I asked pathetically before I could stop myself.

"Then we'll come up with something else. We always do," Sirius assured me.

"Wait!" Peter called as I turned to leave. "I'll walk with you!"

"Thanks, but no thanks, Pete," I said gently. "I need to do this alone."

He flushed. "I know, but I need to meet someone, so I'll just go now."

"Hot date, Wormtail?" Sirius chuckled as he loosened his tie.

Blushing more than ever, he stammered, "No, I… uh… want to see if Frank will tutor me in Herbology this year."

We all nodded accepting this answer. Peter needed tutoring in nearly every subject, and Frank was the best at Herbology in our year. "Well, let's get a move on. We're nearly at Hogwarts!" With a wave to Sirius and Remus, I jogged out into the hallway. In no time, Peter was puffing along behind me.

"He's… here… later!" he huffed when he reached Frank's compartment.

Looking back to wave, I crashed into something or someone with an, "oof!" I rumbled forward on top of this person and managed to avoid crushing her by planting my hands firmly on either side of her waist.

Looking up, a pair for green eyes gazed back at me.

"Uh… Hey," she gasped.

Way to start your apology, James.

**A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for reading and for the reviews and subscribes. Please let me know how you like it and I'll try to update again soon!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Lily POV

Green hillsides zoomed past the window as I stared out it gloomily. It was funny to think that earlier I had been longing for alone time, but now being alone was the worst thing I could have imagined. I felt awful for all the things I said to James, and I knew I needed to go and apologize. Only thing is, I'm terrible at saying sorry. Always have been, probably always will be. The ball was in my court, though, and I've ridden the Hogwarts Express enough times to know that we were nearing the castle. James wouldn't make the first move this time. I guess I was going to have to go find him.

Sighing, I got up and began walking toward the back of the train where he usually sat with his silly gang. I tried to think of what to say, but every idea I came up with was more ridiculous than the last, so I finally decided to just stick with short and sweet, "I'm sorry." It's a start, anyway. Maybe once I say that, inspiration will hit me.

I wasn't sure which compartment was theirs, so I was looking to my left and right, trying to find the proper door. When I was turned away, peering through a frosty window, I was knocked off my feet by someone who was not watching where he was going either. His muscular body had enough force behind it to make me fall backwards and crack my head on the ground. Somehow, he managed to catch himself so he wasn't touching me and didn't crush me. Unfortunately, from how he landed, his head was right level with my chest, and I could tell he was using a lot of self control to look into my eyes and not down at my breasts.

Hazel eyes gazed at me in shock. I shook my head, still a little fuzzy from the fall. Why wasn't I yelling at him? I always yelled at him. For some reason, this time, I could care less that it was James Potter who had bowled me over. "Uh… Hey," I gasped as my head throbbed.

This seemed to shake him out of his trance, and he quickly stood up. "God, Evans, I'm so sorry, are you alright? It sounded like you hit your head pretty hard." He offered me his hand, and I surprised myself and him by taking it. Easily he pulled me to my feet. Turning me around, he looked at the back of my head. "I think you're okay. There's a bump so you shouldn't be concussed or anything, and there's no blood. Still, maybe when we get to school you should go to the Hospital Wing." He turned me back around and examined my eyes. "You're pupils are normal size, that's good." Stepping back a little, he held up two fingers. "How many?"

I giggled, and clapped my hand over my mouth in shock. Why was I acting like this? Hopefully, it's just from bumping my head and it will wear off. I don't think I could stand being a giggly school girl for the rest of my life.

"What's so funny?" he asked, grinning back at me.

"It's just… I never saw you as the doctor type!"

"Doctor?" he asked, looking concerned. He probably thought I really got the stuffing knocked out of me.

"No, no, I meant healer. They're called doctors in the muggle world."

"Oh." Still looking confused, he started walking with me back to our compartment. "I've spent a fair amount of time in the Hospital Wing. This one girl I know really enjoyed practicing new hexes on me." He glanced at me sideways, with a smile in his eyes so I knew he wasn't mad.

"You know what they say about us red heads," I said with a shrug.

"What?"

"We have no souls!"

He laughed loudly at that. "I find that hard to believe, Evans. You can be incredibly kind when you want to."

"'Want to' being the operative phrase," I sighed. "I'm really sorry about back in the… you know. That was really rude of me, and I didn't mean it."

"I think you did," he said. "But since you were able to apologize, and even throw a 'really' in there, I forgive you. I think that's the first time I have ever heard you say the 's' word, Evans. I feel honored!"

I jokingly punched him, but in reality I was relieved that he accepted my crummy apology.

The train began slowing, and James ushered me to the closest door. "Let's try to get the first carriage. Sirius will get our stuff. I just want to get you checked out, okay?"

I nodded as the room began to spin. I saw James pull some sort of square out of his pocket. "Sirius," he said in a commanding voice. "Pick up me and Evans' stuff will you?... I'll explain later… Thanks, mate." It was almost like cell phones for wizards, but at this point I was so out of it, I could have imagined the entire thing.

A sharp pain throbbed in the back of my head, and I gasped. I must have fallen forward because the next thing I knew, a pair or strong arms were holding me up.

"Evans? Evans, are you okay? I'm hurrying, I promise, just try to stay with me, will you?"

I tried to form words, but my mouth felt funny, like someone had lined my tongue, cheeks, and gums with cotton. With another jolt of pain, everything went black.

James POV

Everything was going perfectly. We were talking without fighting, and Evans even apologized! Then all the sudden, she started swaying like mad. Next thing I know, she's passed out in my arms. I guess she hit her head harder than I thought. So much for being a "docdoor" or whatever the hell she was talking about. This was my fault, and I would make sure she got better.

I scooped Lily up in my arms, praying that she wouldn't wake up and start cursing the living daylights out of me. She was very light, and I made sure to hold her appropriately so that if she did wake up she couldn't say I was trying to molest her or something ridiculous.

Hopping down onto the pavement, I began jogging. I was shocked to be able to see the thestrals for the first time, but I could marvel at their spooky beauty later. Right now, this was all about Evans. I had to sprint past some surly looking second years, but I managed to snag the first carriage in the end.

After situating Lily so she was comfortable, I leaned out the window to speak to the thestrals. I remembered what I learned in Care of Magical Creatures about them being very intelligent creatures. I cleared my throat and said, "Uh, excuse me?" in a surprisingly high pitched voice. Both the bony horses turned their giant milky eyes on me. Although it was very unnerving, I choked out, "I'm Head Boy, and the Head Girl is injured. Could we please head to the castle now, full speed? She needs to go to the Hospital Wing."

The giant beasts turned their faces toward each other, communicating silently what to do. Rolling their great shoulders in a shrug like motion, they began to gallop towards the castle.

"Thanks!" I hollered before pulling my head back inside the carriage. They were moving very quickly now; everything outside was blurred. It was almost as exhilarating as flying!

Turning my attention back to Lily, I was relieved to see her chest rising and falling at a regular rate. I sat next to her awkwardly, not wanting to do anything that would get me in trouble if she woke up. I ended up conjuring a pillow and blanket because it was chilly and I thought her head should be propped up. By the time I had her situated, we made it to the castle.

Picking Lily up, I gingerly stepped out of the carriage. "Thanks again! I'll have Professor Kettleburn give you some extra meat next time he sees you!" I called back to them as I ran up to the castle.

I sprinted into the Entrance Hall and skidded to a stop as I heard our Headmaster's voice echoing around the room.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, excited for the single dormitory, are we?" Professor Dumbledore chuckled as he stepped out of the shadows. "I am afraid that must wait, if it must happen at all, for the start of term feast will be beginning momentarily and quite a bad example would be set if both our Heads were late."

I turned scarlet at what our Headmaster was implying before saying, "No, sir, I was taking Evans to the Hospital Wing. She fell on the train and hit her head pretty hard…"

Looking surprised, Dumbledore looked at Lily's limp body in my arms. Summoning a stretcher with a flick of his wand, he motioned for me to put her on it. "I suppose that was a tad optimistic, thinking that things had been resolved so quickly between you two. As I recall, you spent the whole last week of term in the Hospital Wing from an especially well placed hex from this young lady."

I winced at the memory and nodded as we began our way to the Hospital Wing. "This was really my fault, accidentally of course, but I suppose we're even now. Hopefully she won't be in the Hospital Wing for a week though… I don't think she'd ever forgive me."

"I think you are quite right there, Mr. Potter. Not to worry, Poppy will fix her up. I am sure you, of all people, are aware of what a skilled Healer she is."

"Of course, sir. I've spent almost as much time there as I have in detention."

Dumbledore chuckled, and his blue eyes sparkled behind his glasses. "Yet, you were made Head Boy. Sometimes, I wonder about my hunches."

"I won't disappoint you, sir. I promise," I said boldly.

"We shall see, we shall see," he said softly as he opened the doors to the Hospital Wing. "Poppy, I am afraid we have an injury."

Madam Pomfrey bustled around the corner, muttering, "Already? Term hasn't even officially started yet…" When she saw me, she spoke up. "I shouldn't be surprised to see you here, Mr. Potter. I believe this is a new record?"

"Yes ma'am, but not for me. It's Evans who's the injured one, this time."

She came quickly over and moved Lily to a bed and began examining her. Dumbledore spoke from the doorway. "Mr. Potter, I will be heading to the feast. Now would be the time to join me if you were to come," he offered.

"No, thank you, sir," I said. "This is my fault, and I'd like to see it get resolved."

"I suppose I don't have to worry about you starving," he said with his eyes twinkling. "I will see you soon, Mr. Potter. Thank you, Poppy. I will send a House Elf up with some food later."

With a twirl of his robes, he was gone.

"This is your fault, Potter? Honestly, can't you leave the poor girl alone?" Madam Pomfrey asked as she worked over Lily.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," I said sweetly. Even the teachers knew of my attempts to impress Evans. "That might not be necessary anymore. After our little run in down the hallway, she was actually friendly!"

With pity in her eyes, Madam Pomfrey looked up. "I'm sorry, Potter, but that was just from her concussion."

"Her… What? Nothing made her seem concussed!"

"I know, but that is sometimes how the worst ones come about. She will be alright by tomorrow, don't you worry." She turned back to Lily and began bandaging her head. How that would help, I had no idea.

"I still don't understand," I sighed. "So she won't be like this tomorrow?"

Madam Pomfrey shook her head. "Concussions can cause behavioral changes. Normally, they cause irritation, but Miss Evans was already so irritated with you, it seems to have had a reverse effect. I'm sorry."

"It's alright," I sighed. Just as I thought I was finally making progress, I'm back at square one. The only reason I was excited was because I got to see the good in Lily. I know it's there, now I just need to get it out.

**A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks for the reviews last chapter. You guys rock! I'll try to post a chapter a week from here on out. Let me know what you thought of this chapter. I respond to all reviews, and anonymous ones are welcome!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Lily POV

I was having the strangest dream. James Potter and I were snuggled together under a blanket while flying on his broomstick and drinking tea. How or why that would ever come to happen, I had no idea. I always have the strangest dreams at Hogwarts.

Cracking open my sticky eyes, I blinked a few times before rubbing at them with shock. I was in the Hospital Wing, and it appeared to be the middle of the night. What the hell?

I tried to sit up and examine my surroundings further, but a gentle hand pressed down on my shoulder. Not to mention the giant jolt of pain that slammed into the back of my head like a freight train.

"Evans, you're awake!" Potter's relieved voice cheered as he pushed me back into my pillows. There were deep bags under his eyes, and he looked incredibly stressed.

"Don't touch me!" I snapped, shoving his arm off of me. "Just because I apologized doesn't mean you can get all lovey dovey on me."

He sat back in his chair, looking disappointed. "Wouldn't dream of it," he sighed. "I'm just following Poppy's orders to keep you in bed."

"What time is it?"

"Judging by the stars, I would say around two a.m.," he said cheerfully. "You've been out for… Oh, I dunno… nine hours?"

My jaw dropped open in shock. "Would you mind telling me what happened? Why in the world am I here?"

"Well, remember on the train when I ran into you and you hit your head and you said I could be a docdoor?"

"Doctor, but yes, go on," I corrected him.

"Turns out I would be a fairly awful one. You did have a concussion, and a pretty bad one, at that. Before we even got off the train, you passed out on me. But don't worry," he said quickly, noticing the furious look on my face, "you only have to stay the night here. After that, you're free to go to our dorm."

I groaned. "Can't I just stay here?" Sharing a room with that nutter would drive me over the edge, especially if he brought his "Marauders" with him.

"Harsh, harsh," he mumbled. "Then I guess if you don't want me around, I best be going. Don't want to disrupt princess' beauty sleep." He hopped off the bed with a wink and began strolling toward the door.

I looked around the room and noticed how spooky it was. Since this was the beginning of term, no other students had been foolish enough to get injured yet, so I was alone. I had never spent a night alone in Hogwarts.

Potter's hand was on the doorknob when I called, "Wait!"

"Evans, really," he said without turning around. "If I look at you again, I won't be able to leave."

"And I don't want you to."

He turned around, his eyes shining hopefully. "Now look what you made me do," he joked. "I can't possibly leave you alone here with Voldemort on the loose."

"Oh, just come over here before I change my mind, will you?" I sighed, already wondering why I asked him to stay in the first place.

With a huge grin showing off his perfectly aligned, white teeth, he lay down on the bed next to mine. "Let me guess," he said with a smirk. "I'm not allowed to tell anyone about this, right?"

"You better not, or I'll wreck your broom," I said, half threateningly, half tiredly. It was late, and I really just wanted to get to bed.

"No!" he gasped. "Anything but that! I'll keep my mouth shut, I promise." With a boyish grin, he crossed his heart. "You know that doesn't include the Marauders? I hate to break it to you, but they can practically read my mind."

I sighed. "Fine. You, your little posse, me, and possibly my friends are the only ones who are allowed to hear about this. Deal?"

"Deal!" he chuckled, settling back into his pillows. "You know, Evans, maybe we should just stay here. You seem less willing to fight with me in a place where I can easily get medical attention."

I rolled my eyes. "Go to sleep, Potter." With that, I closed my eyes and drifted off within seconds.

"Miss Evans, you need to wake up! Breakfast starts soon, and I am sure you do not want to start out late on your first day of term."

Madam Pomfrey's words woke me up as effectively as a cold bucket of water would have. "What?" I gasped, jolting upright and swinging my legs off the bed. "How much time do I have?"

"Fifteen minutes until breakfast, dear. You just would not wake up before!" Madam Pomfrey sighed. "You may use the showers in back. Your clothes are waiting for you."

I stood up quickly and tottered as the room spun. Whoa. Head rush. Once I was steady on my feet, I raced to the bathroom and got myself ready for the day. By the time I slipped my robes on, I could hear hundreds of footsteps thundering past the Hospital Wing on their way to breakfast. I ran out as fast as I could with a hasty, "Thank you!" to Madam Pomfrey. Once I was in the crowds, I slowed down and moved at their pace. It was so weird to be the oldest in school and Head Girl. When students, especially younger ones, saw me coming, they often got out of my way. I wondered if James had done something to make them fear the Heads.

Wait a second, where was Potter? I remembered him falling asleep in the Hospital Wing, but he was no longer there when I woke up. I couldn't believe he would just ditch me like that! Not exactly the way to go about getting a girl to like her. Tell her you'll stay and then leave? Pathetic!

When I entered the Great Hall, I strode purposefully over to the Gryffindor table where I saw Potter's familiar messy black hair bobbing in laughter as he and Sirius Black cracked up.

Reaching the table, I shoved Sirius aside and sat myself next to James. "Where did you go?" I hissed through my teeth, trying not to draw attention to us. It wasn't working because soon the whole table was staring in shock at the most unlikely scene they've ever laid their eyes upon: me initiating a conversation with Potter.

He glanced around at all the people surrounding us and leaned in close to whisper a response. "Madam Pomfrey told me to leave after the Feast because visiting hours were over." He scowled in frustration, not used to being denied what he wanted. "So I snuck back in once she went to sleep. Of course, that means I had to sneak out again once she woke up. I promise I stayed with you the whole time." His hazel eyes stared earnestly at me.

"What? No you didn't! You weren't there when I woke up, I would have seen you!" I whisper-shouted.

Looking around again, he mumbled, "I'll show you later, okay? I promise."

"You better," I grumbled before getting up to find my friends.

James POV

I watched as Lily stormed off around the other side of the table to sit by her friends. There was no way I could have told her that I had an Invisibility Cloak in front of all these people! Of course, I would tell her eventually because I would definitely be using it to bust the bad guys on my patrol.

Sirius slid back next to me, rubbing his shoulder. "Bloody hell, mate, that girl is more than you bargained for! I think she gave me a bruise!" he pouted and he tenderly massaged his "bruise."

"Oh, shut up," I chuckled, punching him in said bruise. He yelped and jumped, frowning at me. "She is just what I bargained for. It's not my fault you're weak!"

"Weak?" he gasped in mock offense. "How dare you, Potter! I challenge you to a duel!"

"No dueling in the Great Hall, Black," Professor McGonagall chided as she strolled by passing out schedules. "Or anywhere else, for that matter."

"But Minnie," he whined.

"Black!" hissed McGonagall. "What have I told you about calling me Minnie?"

"That it is your favorite nickname and to only use it in private," he said with a wink and charming grin.

If I didn't know better, I would say Minnie was blushing, but I'm not an idiot like Sirius, so I held my tongue.

"Ten points from Gryffindor, Black. If you call me that… name again, it will be twenty points and a detention. With Professor Slughorn."

Sirius glared at her retreating form. "She just hasn't loosened up yet. You wait, by the end of the year, I'll be able to call her Minnie, no sweat."

"Is that another bet offer I hear, Black?" Remus chuckled as he strolled leisurely over. With a smirk on his face, he sat down across from us.

"No, Moony, Minnie is too unpredictable. I'm not that stupid!" Sirius said with an eye roll.

"You really aren't stupid at all, Sirius. You're one of the top students in our class!" Wormtail chirped.

"Yeah, yeah, Wormy, give it a rest," Sirius said, waving him off. "I'm more interested in hearing what's going on with Jamie and Evans!"

Three curious pairs of eyes turned to me, and I looked away. "Guys, it's way too crowded here to have this discussion."

"Fine, let's head to class. We won't take any shortcuts so you'll have plenty of time to talk!" Sirius said cheerfully as he grabbed my arm and dragged me to my feet. "C'mon, boys, let's get a move on!"

We headed out of the Great Hall with many people staring at us with worry, probably thinking that we want to prank them. Yeah, like we'd do that when they're expecting it!

"Now, spill," Sirius said, clapping his hands in excitement as soon as we were away from the masses.

"Okay, so I accidently gave Evans a concussion…"

"Well, it's about time you got her back for all the times she's hurt you," Sirius said reasonably.

"Not the best way to get her to like you, though," Remus thoughtfully replied.

"Then I ran into Dumbledore who thought I was going to… you know… do it with Evans since we have our own dorm…"

My three friends cracked up and were nearly crying with laughter before they were able to calm down.

"There are no words that can describe that situation or that man!" Sirius said with a grin still on his face.

"I was thinking bizarre and brilliant would work well," Moony said. Wormtail nodded in agreement.

"Well, then I stayed with her in the Hospital Wing until Madam Pomfrey kicked me out because it was the end of visiting hours. Like I haven't stayed late before at your time of the month!" I said looking meaningfully at Remus. We didn't like talking about him being a werewolf where people could overhear. He didn't want people to know, and we didn't want to be the ones to ruin his secret.

"But you haven't had a crush on me since first year," he pointed out. "She can't really leave you alone with a girl who you like."

I scowled and continued. "I snuck back in once she was asleep with the Invisibility Cloak, and she woke up and asked me to stay with her!" I couldn't help the grin that consumed my face at that.

Sirius waggled his eyebrows. "So did you crawl into bed and get some quality cuddle time?"

"No way, Padfoot. I am not the kind of guy who would take advantage of an injured girl!" I said, offended.

He rolled his eyes. "Learn to live, mate."

"So when Poppy woke up, I put on the Cloak and stayed there, invisible, until Lily woke up. Then she interrogated me when I got back, so I think I have to tell her about the Cloak."

They stopped in their tracks, staring at me in shock. "You can't! How could you possibly tell a non-Marauder?" Sirius gasped.

"C'mon, Padfoot, it'll be so much easier to do Head duties if Evans is able to use the Cloak too," I tried to reason.

"You just wanna sneak out and do the nasty," he grumbled. "Whatever, mate, it's your cloak. Just make sure she keeps her mouth shut!"

"Don't worry," I said with a grin as I thought about last night. "I've got my own secrets to keep."

**A/N: Hey everyone! I realized I won't be able to respond to anonymous reviewers without their emails, so I'll just respond at the end of the chapters. Thanks so much for the reviews and alerts! Keep 'em coming :)**

**harrypotter23 : Thank you! Like I said, I'll try to update once a week, so be looking for new chapters over the weekend!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Lily POV

"I'm so ready for bed," I sighed dramatically as Marlene, Alice, and I walked out of our last class of the day.

"I'm so ready to see what your dorm looks like!" Alice cheered excitedly. "How big do you think it will be? Ooh can Marlene and I spend the night? Please, oh pretty please?"

"Alice calm down!" Marlene cried.

"I dunno, Alice… I kinda just want to get a good night's rest. Plus I don't want Potter to have an excuse to invite the Marauders over. I know I won't be able to sleep with them fooling around!" I said reasonably. "Maybe this weekend."

Completely unfazed, Alice continued babbling cheerfully. Marlene caught my gaze and rolled her eyes. We loved Alice to death, but some days, she just couldn't control that motor mouth of hers.

"Um… Miss Head Girl lady?" a small first year squeaked nervously from behind me. Marlene and Alice laughed as I turned around with a kind smile on my face.

"Yes? How can I help you Nolan?" I asked sweetly.

He blushed brightly at the fact that I remembered his name. Opening his mouth to respond, he seemed unable to speak. Nolan turned even redder and thrust a rolled up parchment in my hand before tripping over the hem of his robes and scurrying away.

Marlene and Alice were nearly in tears from laughing so hard. "Oh gosh, were we that ridiculous when we were first years?" Alice asked once she had controlled herself.

"Only you, Ali," Marlene said with a smirk.

I was only half listening as I slit open the parchment with my wand. I read the loopy handwriting I was now familiar with.

Dear Miss Evans,

Please bring yourself and Mr. Potter to my office at dusk. We have some important matters to discuss.

Professor Dumbledore

P.S. Fawkes cannot wait to see you both.

Groaning, I crumpled up the parchment and shoved it in my bag. "I have to go meet Dumbledore," I sighed.

"When?" Alice asked. "Does that mean we can't have a picnic tonight?"

I looked out a large window at the nearly darkening sky. "Not tonight, sorry guys. I'm supposed to meet him at dusk, and I have to find Potter first. Who knows how long that will take!"

"Oh, come on! We've been planning this for years and the weather's only going to be nice for so long…"

"Alice, knock it off about the picnic would you? She can't say no to a visit with the headmaster!" Marlene snapped.

Alice pouted. "Fine, but if you can't do it this week, we'll find a replacement."

I snickered. "Sure you will. I'll see you guys later, I have to go find Potter."

Not knowing where to begin, I started with Gryffindor tower because that's where his mates were living. Climbing up the spiral staircase, I pushed open the door that said Seventh Years. All that awaited me was an empty room. I exited quickly, not wanting to be caught by some mysterious booby trap.

Once I descended the stairs, I spotted Benjy Fenwick across the common room. He was a friendly sixth year who was surprisingly James' closest non-Marauder friend.

"Benjy!" I called.

He looked up from his group of friends with a smile on his face and said a quick goodbye before strolling over to me. "Hey, Lily!" he said cheerfully. "How are you? Haven't seen you in a while!"

"I'm fine, thanks. Listen, Benjy, I need to find James. Dumbledore wants to talk to us. Do you have any idea where he might be?"

He looked at me innocently. "I dunno, Lily, it's kinda top secret."

"Oh, come on, I'm going to be living with him, for Merlin's sake! He's not going to have secrets much longer!"

Benjy's wide blue eyes met mine, and he shrugged. "Okay, fair enough. Follow me!" His typical cheer was back as he led the way out of the common room. "How are things going? With you and James I mean? Think you two can last alone in that dorm together?"

"I sure hope so. I'd rather not be remembered as the first Head Girl to blow up the castle."

He laughed, and I joined him easily. He was practically a little brother to me. "Okay, here we are!" He stopped outside a blank wall.

"Are you pulling my leg?" I asked. "There's nothing here!"

"Not now there isn't. Turn around, go on! I told you this is secret, and I mean it."

Grumbling, I turned around and faced my back to Benjy. I could hear him pacing back and forth, but that was all. What in the world was he doing?

"Okay, turn around!"

My jaw dropped. What had before been only a blank wall now held an enormous, ornately carved door. I looked at Benjy in awe. "How did you…?"

"Magic," he replied with a cheeky grin. Knocking to an odd rhythm, he opened the door. "Oy, Potter! Evans wants to talk to you!"

His muffled voice responded, "Send her in!"

"Go for it," Benjy said with a smile as he held the door for me. "I've got to get back to the common room. Can you find your way back?"

"Don't worry about it Benjy!" Sirius hollered from inside the room.

With one last wave, Benjy left and closed the door behind him. I walked slowly down a narrow hallway that opened up into a spectacular room. It was enormous, with high, arching ceilings. Along the walls were all sorts of bookshelves and pranking supplies. In the center of the room was a roaring fire with large, comfortable looking chairs surrounding it. Each of the boys was lounging in a chair like they owned the place.

"What is this?" I asked curiously as I tried to take in everything around me.

"This," said Potter, standing up and putting a piece of parchment in his pocket, "is our home base. Now, you're the only non-Marauder besides Benjy to know about this, so don't tell anyone."

"I won't, if you tell me how you did this," I bargained.

"Hm…" Sirius hummed, pretending to think. "Gee, if we don't tell you then you'll just bring people here and show them, what, a wall? Yeah, you're not really in a position to be making deals here, Evans."

I glared at him and turned to James with my arms crossed. I gave him a look that clearly said, "Tell me what's going on."

He looked at his mates, back at me, and shrugged. "Sorry, Evans, if I don't have the Marauders support I'm not talking."

I frowned, but remembered why I came here and quickly explained the situation to James.

He groaned and began to follow me reluctantly.

"Prongsie! I think you're forgetting something," Sirius called at our retreating forms.

James shoved his hand into his pocket, grabbed the parchment, and chucked it at Sirius.

"Ow! You gave me a paper cut!" Sirius whined as he sucked his finger.

James smirked, and we quickly exited and began to head towards Dumbledore's office.

~D~D~

James POV

We got to the giant gargoyle blocking the stairs to Dumbledore's office just as night began to fall. I looked at Lily, waiting for her to give it the password.

"What are you looking at me like that for? Why won't it open?" she asked in frustration.

"You don't know the password?" I groaned, smacking myself in the head. "Give me the letter he wrote you."

"What? Why would that help?"

"Just give it to me, Evans! We're going to be late!"

With a huff, she handed over the parchment. I carefully read the letter to myself, pausing on the P.S. I'd had my fair share of visits to Dumbledore's office, so I was plenty aware of how his password system worked. "Phoenix." I said confidently. The gargoyle jumped aside, and we were able to ascend the spinning spiral staircase.

"Pretty good, huh?" I asked as we continued our way up. "I'm smarter than I look!"

"It would be impressive if I didn't know you've been coming here at least once a month since first year," she said with a smirk.

I frowned, and opened my mouth to defend myself, but we were at the door. Knocking gently, Lily pushed it open.

"Ah, Miss Evans, Mr. Potter. Do come in. We have much to discuss." Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, his white hair and beard glowing in the setting sunlight. His fingers were drumming idly together as he waited for us to take our seats in the open chairs in front of him.

Once we were both settled, he began. "I assume you both realize that as Head Boy and Girl you will have more responsibilities than the normal students."

We nodded mechanically as he continued.

"They are nothing major, of course, merely some things that us teachers do not have time to pay enough attention to. Now, before we can delve too deeply into your new jobs, I will need to give you some background information. Mr. Potter, I am fairly certain most of this will be review for you, however listen closely. You are both aware of a new terrorist who goes by the name of Voldemort?"

My jaw set and my fists clenched. Voldemort was a sadistic and evil man who had ruined the tranquil peace that used to be the wizarding world. No longer were you able to just talk to strangers on the street or even go out alone. He didn't even do half the dirty work himself. Voldemort had a steadily growing group of followers called the Death Eaters that he sent out to kill those who stood in his way.

I could feel Lily looking at me questioningly for reacting so strongly to just the name, but I kept my focus on Dumbledore, waiting for him to continue. After examining me closely with those bright blue eyes that seemed to have x-ray powers, he continued. "Voldemort is trying to recruit new followers. He has been targeting those at school age to attempt to mold them young. Also, I believe it is his intention to someday take over Hogwarts. Therefore the more insiders he has, the better for him. I have created my own organization to counter his attacks, but there is far too much happening outside of school to keep them here for practically mere observation. That is where you two come in."

I sat up straighter, ready for whatever he would throw at us.

"I would like you to find trustworthy individuals, preferably fifth year or higher, to become the school branch of the Order of the Phoenix. I will, of course, make the ultimate decision of whether or not they may be trusted, but I believe you two will do a fine job. Once you have established your ranks, you will need to make a patrol schedule. Every night I would like two of you to be roaming the halls together to keep an eye out for any mischievous activity. I urge you to never travel alone, however well protected you may be. The Death Eaters will not fight fair and they will not hesitate to kill a youth. Do I make myself clear?"

We both nodded.

"Wonderful!" Dumbledore clapped his hands cheerfully as he stood up. "I expect you two to get to work immediately on this mission. It is of the utmost importance that we stop this war before it gets a chance to begin."

Lily and I stood and followed Dumbledore from his office. "Dinner is awaiting you in your dormitory. Now, off you trot!"

We walked off in silence, both deep in thought. I was thinking about this summer and how this would be the perfect chance to get my revenge.

We reached the portrait leading to our common room and stopped. Lily stepped in front of me. "Look, before we go in there, I want you to tell me something."

Still preoccupied, I shrugged and accepted.

"Why did you freak out when Professor Dumbledore mentioned Voldemort? And don't you dare say it's a typical reaction because it isn't. I may be a Muggle born, but I'm not stupid."

I sighed and ruffled my hair. "Can't we just go eat? I really don't want to talk about this."

"No. I'm tired of you always telling me to wait or that you'll tell me later because you never do. If we want to work together to stop Voldemort then you need to trust me!" She crossed her arms and stared at me defiantly.

Realizing no amount of talk would get me out of this, I took a deep breath as my throat closed up. Scowling at the ceiling, I managed to choke out the painful words, "The Death Eaters killed my father."

**A/N: Hi all! Sorry this one took so long… Life took a crazy turn, but I'm back at it! A lot of typos last chapter, which I apologize for. I don't have a beta so mistakes happen. Thank you Mia and A Fan for pointing out one of my more careless mistakes. I have gone back and fixed that so it is now correct. Finally, thank you to cupcake23 for the push I needed to keep going. You're all wonderful, and please review :)**


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